Switzerland through after exciting win over Serbia

2 years ago 39

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By Emma SandersBBC Sport at 974 Stadium in Doha

Last updated on Less than a minute ago.From the section World Cup

Switzerland sealed their place in the World Cup last 16 following an entertaining five-goal victory over Serbia to round off the group stage.

Switzerland, who knew a draw would be enough to qualify, took an early lead through former Stoke and Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri.

Serbia turned it around in the first half, going 2-1 up with goals from Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic and centre-forward partner Dusan Vlahovic - and they would have gone through as things stood.

The entertainment did not stop there though, as Switzerland's Breel Embolo equalised on the stroke of half-time when he poked in from close range.

With Serbia needing to win, the second half promised further twists but it was Switzerland who struck next - Embolo coolly flicking it on for Nottingham Forest's Remo Freuler to thump a half-volley into the net and make it 3-2 in their favour.

Further chances came for both sides but Switzerland held on to set up a meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the next round, while Serbia are eliminated.

More to follow.

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Serbia

Squad number23Player nameV Milinkovic-Savic
Squad number4Player nameMilenkovic
Squad number5Player nameVeljkovic
Squad number2Player namePavlovic
Squad number14Player nameZivkovic
Squad number16Player nameLukic
Squad number20Player nameS Milinkovic-Savic
Squad number17Player nameKostic
Squad number10Player nameTadic
Squad number18Player nameVlahovic
Squad number9Player nameMitrovic

Squad number6Player nameMaksimovic
Squad number7Player nameRadonjic
Squad number8Player nameGudelj
Squad number11Player nameJovic
Squad number21Player nameDjuricic

Switzerland

Squad number21Player nameKobel
Squad number3Player nameWidmer
Squad number22Player nameSchär
Squad number5Player nameAkanji
Squad number13Player nameRodríguez
Squad number8Player nameFreuler
Squad number10Player nameXhaka
Squad number23Player nameShaqiri
Squad number15Player nameSow
Squad number17Player nameVargas
Squad number7Player nameEmbolo

Squad number2Player nameFernandes
Squad number6Player nameZakaria
Squad number16Player nameFassnacht
Squad number19Player nameOkafor

Line-ups

Serbia

Formation 3-4-1-2

23V Milinkovic-Savic
4MilenkovicBooked at 90mins
5VeljkovicSubstituted forGudeljat 55'minutesBooked at 81mins
2PavlovicBooked at 56mins
14ZivkovicSubstituted forRadonjicat 78'minutes
16LukicBooked at 90mins
20S Milinkovic-SavicBooked at 47minsSubstituted forMaksimovicat 67'minutes
17Kostic
10TadicSubstituted forDjuricicat 78'minutes
18VlahovicSubstituted forJovicat 55'minutes
9MitrovicBooked at 82mins

Substitutes

1Dmitrovic
3Erakovic
6Maksimovic
7Radonjic
8Gudelj
11Jovic
12Rajkovic
13Mitrovic
15Babic
19Racic
21Djuricic
22Lazovic
24Ilic
25Mladenovic
26Grujic

Switzerland

Formation 4-2-3-1

21Kobel
3WidmerBooked at 15mins
22SchärBooked at 90mins
5Akanji
13Rodríguez
8Freuler
10XhakaBooked at 90mins
23ShaqiriSubstituted forZakariaat 69'minutes
15SowSubstituted forFernandesat 68'minutes
17VargasBooked at 34minsSubstituted forFassnachtat 83'minutes
7EmboloSubstituted forOkaforat 90+6'minutes

Substitutes

2Fernandes
6Zakaria
9Seferovic
11Steffen
12Omlin
14Aebischer
16Fassnacht
18Cömert
19Okafor
20Frei
25Rieder
26Jashari

Referee:Fernando Rapallini

Attendance:41,378

Live Text

Match ends, Serbia 2, Switzerland 3.
Second Half ends, Serbia 2, Switzerland 3.
Attempt missed. Nemanja Radonjic (Serbia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Luka Jovic following a set piece situation.
Filip Djuricic (Serbia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Edimilson Fernandes (Switzerland).
Fabian Schär (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Strahinja Pavlovic (Serbia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Fabian Schär (Switzerland).
Nemanja Radonjic (Serbia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Noah Okafor (Switzerland).
Foul by Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia).
Silvan Widmer (Switzerland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Switzerland. Noah Okafor replaces Breel Embolo.
Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia) is shown the yellow card.
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card.
Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Granit Xhaka (Switzerland).
Attempt missed. Luka Jovic (Serbia) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Nemanja Radonjic with a cross.
Nemanja Radonjic (Serbia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ricardo Rodríguez (Switzerland).